# "Upstate New York" What does it mean to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 20, 2007, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681 "2007-12-20T06:17:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/21 "2007-12-20T13:40:44Z")
Buffalo and Rochester are definitely Western New York. Upstate would be, Kingston, Poughkeepsie, and thereabouts. I know some people consider anything outside of The City to be Upstate but not to me. But I’m not from New York so take from that what you will. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/22 "2007-12-20T13:41:07Z")
I can’t decide if Rochester is in Western or Upstate NY _proper_, so I guess it’s “Central New York.” Central NY would be from Rochester to Utica and all points north and south of them. Being from Fredonia and having relatives in Canandaigua and Albany, I don’t really have an opinion on what is Upstate NY. I only know these things: – If talking to someone who knows what they’re talking about, I say Western NY to refer to parts west of Rochester. – If talking to someone who doesn’t know their geography, if I said “Western NY”, they might think you’re talking about Western NYC. In these cases, say Upstate NY unless referring specifically only to the area generally west of Rochester, in which case say Western NY State. I don’t even have a strong opinion on where Upstate NY definitely ends. Somewhere between Poughkeepsie and West Point: I-84 may as well do. Poughkeepsie is a commuter hub but other than that feels far too non-metropolis to be part of the megalopolis. It’s a college town for gosh sakes. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/23 "2007-12-20T13:46:27Z")
When I was living in the Bronx, we went “upstate” to the grocery store, which meant about fifteen miles north of the Bronx. ---
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/24 "2007-12-20T13:50:12Z")
I’ve always thought of Rochester and Buffalo as rust belt towns that are relatively close to Toronto. Upstate New York is the stuff below Quebec and Eastern Ontario, and includes the Adirondacks. I’ve been living in Canada for too long. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/25 "2007-12-20T13:50:13Z")
Rochester has always portrayed itself as “Upstate New York” as far back as I can remember (I’m 26 now). And I personally feel “Upstate” is the area between Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse. Anything south of that is the Southern Tier and everything to the east is either the Finger Lakes or the Adirondacks. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/26 "2007-12-20T14:04:04Z")
Actually, the finger lakes are pretty much contiguous with Rochester and Syracuse, but to the south of them. East of that but before Albany and the Catskills is the Leatherstocking region, but I’ve only heard one or two people actually refer to it as that outside of travel books. But I agree that anything south of the Finger Lakes is better described as Southern Tier. Actually, anywhere close to I-86, even Jamestown which is also in Western NY. (Geologically it seems similar to many other Southern Tier places, where the huge wall of the Pennsylvanian hills start to rise up from the south.) ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/27 "2007-12-20T14:04:17Z")
Buffalo and Niagara Falls are WNY. Rochester can go either way (WNY/Upstate), because as other have said, they insist on it, but it’s definitely not central NY. Syracuse is Central NY. The Adirondacks is Upstate. The others are right though. Saying WNY is just going to bring about a blank stare from some people, and there’s nothing that can be done to change that. People have tried, and failed in the past. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/28 "2007-12-20T14:28:55Z")
[QUOTE=treis] If you say Upstate New York what region are you referring to? (1) The incorrect version which classifies anything other than New York City as Upstate New York. This is wrong because there is nothing “Upstate” about, say, Binghamton. [/QUOTE] I agree, classifying anything north of the Bronx is ridiculous. North of _Westchester_ is Upstate. Or whatever that county is on the other side of the Hudson that Bear Mountain Park is in. That’s not really “upstate” either. Basically, “upstate” NY is any place I would have to go north on the Thruway or “Northway” to get to, but that I pretty much never do. Well I do visit Albany on occasion on the way up to Canada, but Albany is clearly Upstate. Another definition would be “farther north than Metro North reaches”, except that I don’t know how far north Metro North goes. I know it goes to Harriman State Park. On the Hudson/Harlem side it gets fuzzy for me north of Westchester. Lest you consider this too provincial and NYC-centered (and I agree that it is), consider also that you yourself pointed out that “Upstaters” rarely or never use the term “Downstate” except in ironic contrast to NYC Metro Area people who call them “Upstate”. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/29 "2007-12-20T14:36:45Z")
[QUOTE=robardin] Lest you consider this too provincial and NYC-centered (and I agree that it is), consider also that you yourself pointed out that “Upstaters” rarely or never use the term “Downstate” except in ironic contrast to NYC Metro Area people who call them “Upstate”. [/QUOTE] That’s right, we use the correct term “New York City” to refer to the area that is… New York City. That’s why we think referring to anything outside of NYC as “upstate” is ridiculous because it’s only “upstate” to one city. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/30 "2007-12-20T15:02:04Z")
Anything outside of The City is upstate to me. That includes the home of House of Guitars. Rochesterians, where do you live? I grew up in the Fairport/Walworth area. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/31 "2007-12-20T15:04:09Z")
Anything north of Yonkers is my ‘pat’ reply. (half joking) I would say it’s nort of Albany, starting around Saratoga and going up to Canada. Oddly enough, before moving to NYC, I had never known about ‘The Finger Lakes Region’. I never knew there were large lakes in central NY. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/32 "2007-12-20T15:04:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Anything outside of The City is upstate to me. That includes the home of House of Guitars. “Hop, hop to the great Christmas in July Sale at the House of Guitars! Titus Avenue, Rochester.” My Twilight Zone shirt from the House of Guitars fell apart a couple of years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/33 "2007-12-20T15:12:30Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] “Hop, hop to the great Christmas in July Sale at the House of Guitars! Titus Avenue, Rochester.” [/QUOTE] The House of Guitars stopped running ads at any time other than Christmas a few years ago. Now it’s… Santa: “Oh no! The light on my sleigh won’t work!” “I’ll light your way Santa!” said Armin the blue-nosed guitarman! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/34 "2007-12-20T15:13:35Z")
I’m from just outside Buffalo, I’ve always considered everything from Rochester this way as Western NY. Downstate is the Hudson Valley area. Upstate is everything else. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/35 "2007-12-20T15:15:11Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Rochesterians, where do you live? I grew up in the Fairport/Walworth area. [/QUOTE] When I lived closer to Rochester, it was in the Henrietta/Brighton area. There are a lot more people from around here than I thought. This thread reminds me that I need to change my location tag, so people stop giving me NYC centric advice. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/36 "2007-12-20T15:15:45Z")
I’ve been in this area (south end of the finger lakes) for 8 years now. The only people the term “Southern Tier” and “Finger Lakes” are car dealerships, wineries and tourism bureaus. It’s simply easier to describe everything north of Westchester as Upstate NY when talking to someone from -say-North Carolina. If more clarification is needed they will ask. It is a similar argument to what is “Down East” Maine. Some will tell you everything north of Portland, while others will say it is only Hancock and Washington counties. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/37 "2007-12-20T15:17:41Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] “Hop, hop to the great Christmas in July Sale at the House of Guitars! Titus Avenue, Rochester.” [/QUOTE] Great stuff. “Rat Fucker” is a classic. Ah, the memories this thread is bringing back. The great ice storm of '77. U of R. BFF Brad. The Strassburg Planetarium. Blowfartio. The Tiger ‘n’ Toe. The Xerox Tower (is it currently decorated with a Christmas tree?) The Can of Worms. Pittsford Plaza. Wow. I do not miss the place at all. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/38 "2007-12-20T15:19:19Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Rochesterians, where do you live? I grew up in the Fairport/Walworth area. [/QUOTE] I’m around the Irondequoit/City area. Man, I had no idea so many Rochester people posted on this board. I always assumed it was just me, **OtakuLoki** and **Exapno**. And lately, **Nzinga**. [QUOTE=tdn] The Can of Worms. Pittsford Plaza. Wow. I do not miss the place at all. [/QUOTE] The Can of Worms has been fixed considerably and is no longer the congestion/accident magnet it was once. And Pittsford Plaza is awesome, what you talkin’ about? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/39 "2007-12-20T15:22:19Z")
[QUOTE=Justin\_Bailey] “I’ll light your way Santa!” said Armin the blue-nosed guitarman! [/QUOTE] Ah, Armin. There’s a memory. He once tried (and succeeded) to sell me a $30 amp for $70, as REO Speedwagon muscled their way past us. Actually, it was a pretty decent amp. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681/40 "2007-12-20T15:22:35Z")
I live almost downtown. Well,…sigh…what used to be downtown. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upstate-new-york-what-does-it-mean-to-you/430681.md?page=3)